European Citizens' Panel to discuss Energy Efficiency Today, 23 February, a new European Citizens' Panel kicks off in Brussels.  150 randomly selected citizens from all 27 Member States will discuss the benefits and challenges of increasing energy efficiency, and how households, businesses, and communities should act. Energy savings have played a key role in tackling the energy crisis and are an important component of the European Green Deal and our plan to reach climate neutrality by 2050. Over the course of three weekends, citizens will formulate recommendations that will inf ..read more

Commission invests over €233 million in Strategic Environment and Climate Projects across Europe Today, the Commission is investing over €233 million in twelve new Strategic Projects across Europe under the LIFE programme to support the implementation of the EU's environmental and climate ambitions under the European Green Deal. These Strategic Projects are expected to mobilise substantial additional funds from other EU sources, including agricultural, structural, regional and research funds, as well as from national governments and private sector investment. Twelve flagshi ..read more

Council adopts regulation on instant payments   The Council adopted today a regulation that will make instant payments fully available in euro to consumers and businesses in the EU and in EEA countries. The new rules will improve the strategic autonomy of the European economic and financial sector as they will help reduce any excessive reliance on third-country financial institutions and infrastructures. Improving the possibilities to mobilize cash-flows will bring benefits for citizens and companies and allow for innovative added value services. The instant payments r ..read more

New measures to prevent cancer through vaccination   We all know someone touched by cancer. Around 2.7 million people in the European Union are diagnosed with cancer every year, and this number is predicted to grow in the future. About 40% of cancer cases in the EU are preventable. Safe and effective vaccines exist and could save a lot of lives. The Commission has therefore put forward new recommendations to support Member States in their efforts to prevent cancer through vaccination, as part of Europe's Beating Cancer Plan. It recommends significantly incre ..read more

Commission proposes to strengthen criminal law rules to fight child sexual abuse The threat of both offline and online child sexual abuse in the EU grows year by year, affecting 1.5 million children in the EU in 2022 alone. While progress has been made to better protect children online, existing criminal law rules on child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation are no longer fit for purpose. That is why the Commission has now proposed to update these laws to change a reality which has seen one in five children suffer from some form of sexual violence, offline and online. First of all ..read more

Net-Zero Industry Act: Council and Parliament strike a deal to boost EU’s green industry   The Council and the European Parliament today reached a provisional deal on the regulation establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology products manufacturing ecosystem, better known as the ‘net-zero industry act’ (NZIA). The regulation aims at boosting the industrial deployment of net-zero technologies needed to achieve EU’s climate goals, using the strength of the single market to reinforce Europe’s leadership in industrial green technologies. Under today’s a ..read more

Fight against human trafficking: Council and European Parliament strike deal to strengthen rules Today the Belgian presidency of the Council and representatives of the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement to add forced marriage, illegal adoption and surrogacy as types of exploitation covered by the EU’s anti-trafficking law. The update of the directive on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings will also require EU countries to make sure that people knowingly using services provided by victims of trafficking can face sanctions. Other amendments concern the strengthe ..read more

A stronger voice for workers in EU-based multinational companies   Workers will be better represented in EU-based multinational companies thanks to new rules for the so-called European Works Councils (EWCs). These Councils ensure that employees are involved in decisions related to transnational issues, like re-structurings. They help workers anticipate and manage changes in the world of work, including labour shortages and new technologies. Around 1,000 EWCs currently represent nearly 11.3 million European employees. While these Councils represent more than ..read more

Urban wastewater: Council and Parliament reach a deal on new rules for more efficient treatment and monitoring   The Council and the European Parliament’s negotiators today reached a provisional political agreement on a proposal to review the urban wastewater treatment directive. The revised directive is one of the key deliverables under the EU's zero-pollution action plan. Today’s agreement with the Parliament puts us on the right track to reach our zero-pollution objective for Europe. It paves the way for the highest standards to be set for treating urban wastewater and mon ..read more

Asylum and migration: deal for more solidarity and responsibility sharing Member states can choose between hosting asylum applicants and making financial contributions Addressing crisis situations and instrumentalisation of migrants and asylum applicants Asylum claims to be examined more quickly Improved identification at arrival, including facial image and fingerprints, covering children from the age of six Mandatory security and health checks for people entering the EU irregularly Member states can choose between hosting asylum applicants and making financial contributions ..read more